Panel board



March 1s, 1924. 1,487,369

- G. w. BERTHOLD PANEL BOARD originapila dan. 2, 1917 :s sheets-sheet x March 18 1924. 1,487,369

G. w. BERTHOLD PANEL 'BOARD Original Filed Jan. 2, 1917 25 Sheets-Sheet 2 z, 1917 s sheets-'sheet .s

G. W. BERTHOLD PANEL BOARD 0rgnal,Fi1ed Jan.

o oI Mi v HI March 18 1924.

be cheaply manufactured.

sus@ Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES" GUs'rAvE w.v nnn'rnonn, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

PANEL BOARD.

Application led January 2, 1917, Serial No. 140,144. Renewed September 1, 1922. Serial No. 585,838.

To all whom it may] consent.'

Be it known that I, Gusmvn YV. Brn- THoLn, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Panel Boards, oi which the following is a specification.

One of the objects of this invention is to produce an improved panel board which requircs'a minimum amount of space for in stallation .and 'a minimum amount of cop per (that is to say, bus-bars and the like) for a given number of circuits to be taken care of.

Another object is to provide panel board of'extremely simple construction whichmay In panel boards as usually constructed, th' terminals fonth'eload circuits have been located side by side in vertical rows extending along the side Vedges of the board with the two terminals of each socket located one above the other, and cross bars have been necessarily provided to connect one terminal of each circuitto` the distant power bus-bar oi' theboard. I aim to entirely eliminate such cross bars and to reduce thc length of the main power bus-bars by approximately one-half, thereby effecting a marked decrease in the size of the board and in the costof manufacture both as to, the amount of copper and the amount o f labor required in making a board for a' given number of circuits.

.A further object of the invention .is to `produce an improved board in which all of the bus-bars and conductors may be completely covered or insulated so as to provide what is known in the art as a dead front board.

In connection with the last vmentioned object, it is a special object of the invention to arrange the fuse mountings or receptacles upon the bus-bars on the board so that the said rece tacles will constitute the covering or insu ating means for the bus-hairs; and the invention also aims to provide special fuse mountings in the form of sockets 'adapted to receive standard fuscplugs.

Another object is to provide fuse-mountingand load-terminal devices in the form of individual units which may be mounted l Von the board as required.

Further objects and advanta es of the invention, and improvements re ating todef The upper end compartment may contain ha tails of construction will be fully` under-V' stood from the following description.l

In the accompanying drawings'. Figure 1` -is a. front elevation 'of a panel board embodying the features of my invention, the

view showing the board in a junction box or casing of which the door is open, and one of the channel-covering plates being' shown removed to illustrate 'the details beneath.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section in the planeof line Q-2 of Fig. 1. elevational view of the panel board removed 4from thecasing and showing all but onetransverse row of the fuse plug socketsremoved from the board. Fig. 4 is an en Fig. 3 is a partial larged detail sectional viewv illustrating one l of the single .fuse plug sockets and the manner of mounting-the same on the board. Fig. 5 is a detail'wiew, partiall in elevation and partially in section, illustrating one of the doublev socket members. \Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a board of alternative construction, and Fig. 7 is a transverse section through this latter board.

My invention is susceptible of..embodi lment in various forms, and while Iy have shown in the drawings two specific embodiments and will describe them in detailI wish to have itunderstood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended. -The embodiments herein disclosed areV panel boards intended for use in three-Wire distribution systems, but the essential ideas of my invention may be. embodied ina board for a two-wire system, there being in such a case two main power bus-.bars -insteadof the three shown in the drawings. The sco e of the invention will be pointed out in -t e ap )ended claims.

eferring to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 indicates the usual insulating base board upon which lthe bus-bars 11", 1 2, 13 are mounted, said bars in the present instance lying-flat upon the board and being suitably fixed thereto. The board as a whole is removably mounted in a. box or cabinet 14 whiohmay be-of any common or preferred construction. Two insulating walls 15 and 16 positioned at "right angles to the board l() constitute partitions separating the interior of the casing intol -which i5 adapte@ iio usual power sciiei {iiot shown, winch "he comiecioi between the Source I 1 i i mi iii@ ous-'ouin on the, bozirfi. .-11-

e had o this eompziriiieiit :imi to e end coiiipertmeu o3' J bers is ioiigitudinai row of fusimimiiiug and load-terminaldeviceswi'eii we prefer ably in the form of sockets adeprgi to receive, standard fuso plugs. The moire-s are also dined in rows extending' arene erseiy each tiansverse .row comprises two `sii`r e sockets 2f) mounted respecivey oii the, pino and minus bus-bars ll. i3 and two sockets mounted on bar ri the eiiibodimen.- iiiistrted in F 5o 5, the two neutral sockes of@ contiiiiied in a u vv double socket member '2i :is shown in i.' 5, While in the enibodi ievn'; shown iii Figs, and the two sookes'are seperate .ich oi'iier and are ideziticzii'in eoiis-i'iiC-gioii with the plus andmiiiussoftiets 91)-,

shaped to it over i"' providing e, notch 2;# i oase so that tire' nais-e. iria); Sem, over 'the oor und cover ie iop :mdftwo sidj enges diereof and abui z" msi oi close to ibo face of the board 'lilo outer end @i ibo been@ uis :i socket proper Q3 therein. The socket member is secured o the bushel; pre by means of :i screw, E34 ohio" tra] y through, the socket mi into the bus-omit v The. heed oi -onsl'iutes 'iii .'eriaiinzai of irai ei'mirliii of: i if" 'when Screffed into iiiie soeke. ie ernzinziifoi iiie socket is in the, i i threaded :mmiier "U i i mein? :lil

i ,re ei-fe rise, vorremwi ifneil ou iie im@ piu .f-iriieiioii Shown iii the iiiz'ougiiu mehemmt-1 Ivi'iiidz is pneed .n ifziiiiig E iiziferizii smi; :xs :r oi iiiiezi. The lower end sociali/hes un iiiiurm-d fia the LSU hin@ number' ug on the :Lw/row threerwii iii sziifidui.; for cliuimiiiff I 'v 'h r1 L .i t n i 3mal, lhe eeuu-:ii screw .zi mumps the socket ports to other .so imi die, ,xii tachmg device 3l ,Sei

en' ii'iiii ille meier leriiiixmi QG of the #5: im( is irisuineii from tiro Contini tei'- zmozii or screw Lil. ()iier socket .,triic'i;\ire f muy be used iii desired.

The ciouble Sockel, member "il Shown in Fi 111215' be .d .iiiiur that jimi desoribed, except thm the insulating baise portion of the, soekot iii/miner is of doubie time size to neeouiiiioiizit'e the iiwo Soeketfs. The wire,- ui' iii/:hing devices 3l preferably project from opposite, ends of this double socket. inem- 'oeiz Thilo the neutral biis-bzir 12 muy be mede of any desired width io eocomxiiodate,

ihe eiii'ehinfz ser' ineizibec, it ifs feiublo to use :x branched or composite c-ozisfruY ion, by making the bar reieivoiy narrow und scouring trimsverse strips to the, bei, the Strips having threaded openings in their ends to receive the irews.

24 of the double socket' The bases of the socket members 20 and i 2X. are. preferbly reetimgular in shape,- and die Socke?, iiii-iii`oe11sy of each row are :uff

ranged to :ibut cioso togetherso that each row oompeteiy covers one of the bus-balia. A dead front board muy therefore be provided, that is to my, n boord in which iii of the. coiidueling eieiiients oir the board are Covered or insulated., so diet 'here is no iiiete exposed ou the face of the boord.

The 10mi circuit Wires 33 which rim to iigiii'iiig or other Circuits to bc'supl lied witA Current are atvaciied in pairs to the fustening devices of the soekets, -Ono socket on `the neutral 'bie-bm' and u transversely opiomfi Hochet on e ,2er :i plus or minus '.itue :a pair of loud cire-uit termifory ai Hlt:

r. The wires may iiiiiel qkrovi s ed by is a mi Lire board nel in the mi or, if dei. pzissee oe siii'ieii. zum, ie oppofwl ro\-: mici oui: t rougi) of the easing. :is :iii r zich mii' of z is iioie i355 i #oily yi sorfiofis mui "Line vf" die easing behind Y sii'eii., 5h55 di; imei n the, hoard "u (il:

ered uieb in Ahe forni o upon the ou'ei; so Soci f same size as the plus and minus bars 1.1 and 13 so that the same fuse sockets 2O may be used uponany oneof the bars, two of the formit'y of all the parts of the board is attained.

In panel boards of this character as commonly constructed, the load circuit termi- `nais are arranged in vertical rows along the -slde edges of the board with the two terminals o each pair located one above the other. One'termmal of each pair 1s connected to an adjacent bus-bar and, in order to provide connection between the other ter- 'minal and the remote bus-bar, it has been necessary to provide a crossing bus-bar, that is, one running transversely to the main powerbus-bars. By my constructionI entirel eliminate the necessity for such cross busars, and furthermore by reason of the copper and laborrequired is el'ected, and a fact that the twoterminals of each pair are locatedl in transversely opposed relation on two bus-bars I am able to cut down by onehalf the length of the vertical power busbars. An enormous saving in the space reuired Afor installation of the board and in t e cost of the board both as to amount of panel boardv which will take care of the maximum number of load circuits with the minimum 4space and cost is rovided. A further saving in the origina cost of`installing 1n`y panel board may oftentimes be effected by reason of the fact that the fusemounting and terminal devices are in the nat-ure of individual units which may be mounted on the board only 'as required. Therefore it a panel board Vbe installed which is capable of taking care of a certain number of circuits and it is found necessary to use less than that number of circuits, only a sufficient number of terminal units to take care of the actual circuits in use need be mounted on the board.

The reference in the foregoing description to exact details of construction has been given for the sake of lucidity but without ,Y

`thereon'a row. of fuse plug socketswhich abut against each other closely so as to completely cover the bar, one terminalof each `socket being in electrical communicationwith the bar and the 0th`e r terminal having wire-attaching means facing the sockets on the opposite bar, each two sockets onA the two bars located directly opposite each other constituting a pair, the 4terminals of which are adapted t0-be,connected to two wires for a load circuit.

2i A panel board having, in combination powerrbus-'bars extending 1n parallel spaced relation` and .lead wires to a pluralityof load circuits, said'lead wires extending parallel to and between said bus-bars and at their ends diverging in pairs toward said bus-bars. I

3. A panel board having, in combination, three bus-bars extending in parallel spaced relation, and a plurality of lead wires to load circuits extending in each lof the spaces between said bus-bars parallel to said busbars and at their ends diverging in pairs for connection to said bus-bars.

4. A panel boardv having, in combination,

van insulating board, a bus-bar thereon, a

4socket the latter terminals' fuse plug socket device comprising a rec tangularinsulating base notched to fit down over said bar and completely cover three sides ot a section of said bar the longer dimension of said base extending transversely to the bar, the base having two plug recesses each provided with terminal devices including a screw passing down through the socket and threaded in the bar for securing the socket to the bar, said screw providin an electrical connection between the centra terminal of the socket and the bar, the other terminal of the socket having a laterally extending means for attaching a wire to the projecting from opposite ends of said base.

5. A anel board having, in combination, an insu atingboard, a pair of power busbars of opposite polarity mounted thereon, two rows of individual fuse plug sockets, each row mounted directly upon one of said bars, each socket comprising an insulating base shaped to fit down over the bar, screw.

means for securing the socket to the bar and providing electrical connection between. one terminal of the socket and the bar, Wireattaching means associated with the other terminal 4of each socket, the socketsof each row abutting close together and completely covering the bars, the 'transversely opposite sockets on the bars constituting pairs of which the wire-attaching devicesface each other, and the rows of sockets providing a channel for the wires, and a lid cooperating with the rows of sockets for closing thetp of said channel. n

6. A' panelv board having, in combination, an insulating board, a pair of bus-bars of opposite polarity mounted thereon, two rows of fuse plug sockets, each row mounted directlyl upon one of said bars and completely covering the bar, each socket being provided with a v; 4tr'o sockets toca'.` opposite cach o" r on the tvvo bars constituting a pair, the attaching devices at which .tace cach and n'ieans lor closing the top of the anncl guovidcd bv the :ivo rows ot sockets. N i iauel hoard h: ,u combinati n,

.aching devia, the

au 1 r. ating board, r ot' bus-bars ot o}.^osite lolarity mounted t ereon tivo rows 'i frise plus; sockets each rox mount/eu plug ars, there being two sockets on the neutral opposite to each socket on the plus or ius be', the Sockets ot keach row abutting e er so as to completely cover the erniinal of each socket being pros `vireattaching device`l one wicket of each two on the neutral bus-bar i paired with an opposed socket on one the othei` hars. and the paired sockets uur to a load circuit,

5.. panel board having, in combination, an insulating boardl` three power bus-bars mounted thereon,.the middle bar being ot' branched construction and located between the plus and minus bars, a row of sockets mounted directly upon each oit the plus and minus bars,l tivo rows of sockets mounted dircctlj,Y upon the neutral bar, the' sockets abutting close together so as to completely cover the bars, one terminal of each mokct having a Wire-attaching device, one of the sockets on the neutral bar and the opposed one of the socket-s ou a plus or minus bar constituting a pair to 'which a load circuit is `arranged to be connected.

l0. A panel hoard having, in combination, au insulating hoard. three bus-bars mounted thereon, thc neutral bus-bar being located betivfcn the plus and minus bars, rows of 'fuse plug sockets mounted directly upon said hars and conqiletel),vv covcring the latter, there being two sockets tor the neutral bar transversely alined with tivo sockets on the plus andv minus bars respectively, one terminal ot each socket being adapted to be connected to a load, circuit, one socket on' thel neutral bar and the transversely opposed socket ouA the plus or minus bar constituting a pair from which a load circuit is arranged to lead,

ng adaptedv to he attached to wires lead msi/yace ifi. panel board having, in combination, an insulating hoard, three power busbars mounted thereon, longitudinal rows of fuse plug sockets mounted directly upon said hars and completely covering the same, the sockets being arranged, in transverse rows each of `which rows comprises two sockets mounted on the neutral bus-bar and one each on the plus and minus bars, a socket ou the neutral bar and the opposed socket on either a plus or minus bur oon- 'tuting a pair to which a load circuit isI aocptrd to be attached.

l2. panel board having, in combination, an insulating hoard. threepou'er bus-bars mounted thereon, rows ot fuse plugv sockets mounted directly upon the 'respective bars and completely covering the same, the

sockets being arranged with two sockets onf` the ieutral bar arranged in the same transverse line with two sockets on the plus and yaol .minus bars respectively, one terminal ofcach socket being in Contact with its bar and the other terminal having a wire-att aching device, the devlces of one socket 'on the neutral bar and an opposed socket on a plus or minus bar constituting a pair for attachment to' a load circuit'. ,l 13. A three-wire panel board having, in

combination, three power bus-ba1s and rows of fuse .plug sockets connected to the bars, there being in each transverse row .'tvvo sockets for the neutral bar androne each lor the plus and minus bars, 'one neutral socket ofeach row being aired with the opposite. plus or minus soc et for connection to' a load circuit,

14. A three-Wire panel board havingl'in combination, three power busbars, fusel mounting devices mounted in rows directly upon said bus-bars, each transverse row ot said devices comprising two devices mounted ou the neutral bar and one each on the plus and minus bars, one device of the neutral bar being paired with the opposed. crevice on a plus or minus bar for connection to a load circuit. l r

15. A three-Wire panel-board irviug, in, combination, three power bus-lm jlongitudinal rows of separate .fuse plug sockets mounted directlyv upon saidhus-hars, the individual socketsabutting against each other'closely to 'completely covcrthc bars, ,g therebeing in evcrw transvcrse row two sockets on the neutral bar and onecach 129 llO" cation with its bar and the other terminal being paired with a transversely `opposed socket terminal for connection to a load cine;

cuit. l

16. A three-Wire panel board comprising' an insulating board, three bus-'bars thereon, rows ot fuse plug sockets mounted directly upon the barsfwth the individuali,

sockets abutting 'againsteach 'other closely to completel cover the bars, there being two socketson tie neutral bus-bar 'transversely to be connected to a load circuit, each pair of. sockets for a load circuit comprising one socket` on the neutral bus-bar and av translyersely opposed socket on aplus or minus ar *u 17. A three-wirepanel board having, in combination, three power bus-bars, andv fuse mounting and terminal devices mounted dircctlyupon said bars, vthere being transverse rowsof said devices each comprising two. devicesv on theneutral bus-'bar and one device each on the plus and minus bars.

18. A three-'wire panel board having, in

. combination, three power bus-bars, and4 devices 'connected to said barsand each providing a fuse plug socket and a terminal, there being` transverse rows of said devices each comprising two devices for the neutral l viceson the' two bars constituting a pair` bus-bar'andone device each for the plus and minus bars, each transverse row comrising two pairs of said devices adapted to e attached to two load circuits.

19. A panel Vboard having, in combination, a bus-bar and a series of structurally separate terminal units mounted' thereon and .having straight sides abutting close together so as to completely cover the bar.

20. A panel board having, incombination, a bus-bar and structurally se )arate devices mounted directly thereon ant each providing a fuse-mounting 4and a wire-attaching means, the devices having straight faces abutting-close together so as to completely cover the bar.

21. A anel `board having, in combination, a. p urality of bus bars extending in parallel spaced relationship', power leads extendiiinto said-panel yfrom one direction and connected to said bus bars, and leads to a plurality of load circuits converging in pairs from adjacent bus bars andy extendbetween said bus bars and parallel thereto aiid'out from said panel board` in a direction opposite to the direction of said power leads. 22. A panel board having, in combination, power bus-bars of opposite polarity, two `rows of fuse-mounting or terminal devices, each row directly mounted upon one of said bars, two transversely opposite deadapted to be connected to a load circuit,

the two rows of devices providing a channel along which the load circuit wires may extend.

23. A panel board having, in combination, power bu's-'barsof opposite polarity, two rows of fuse-mounting or terminal de` vices, each. row' directly -mounted upony one providing a channel adapted to receive the wires ot' a load circuit, whiclirw'ires are to be connected to the sockets, the two sockets mountedon different, bars in transversely opposed positions conatituting.r a pair forv connection to the wires ot' a load circuit. 2.5. A panel board having, in combination, bus bars extending in parallel spaced relationship, a plurality of blocks ot' insulating material mounted on 4and completely covering each of said bus hars, each block providing a fuse plugsocket and a laterally extending terminal, and lead 'wires to a plurality of load circuits extending between and parallel to said bus bars and at their ends diverging in pairs -for connection to the lateral terminals on said blocks. l

26. A panel board having, in combination, 7 three power bus bars extending in parallel spaced relation, lead wires to a plurality of l'oad circuits extending in each of the spaces between said bus bars and parallel thereto and at their ends diver-ging in pairs toward said bus bars, and an individual readily detachable terminal block for the end of each lead wire.

27. The combination recitcdin claim 26 in which said terminal blocks are mounted upon said bus bars and arranged adjacent p eachother to completelyy cover and insulate nel, said channel providing away forrcceivinglead wires to `be attached to said terminals.. l n

29. A panel board having, in combination, an vinsulating base, two parallel rows of socket and terminaldevices mounted thereon, and. spaced apart to provide a channel between them, said devices being structurally independent and separately attachable to and. detachable lfrom said base, each of said devices comprising 2ininsulating block il ami u @over pae for Said Ying its sida edges m Bied upon m wenig upper immers 0:7 sul, o; bloem.

3)J A panel baai@ haviiif-jf, 11 ii an insulating basel, a @Duality 0f 1; pickimtal" paialla bus biais on one face thereof, dependent ..0 rows dirce-rtaduf v 395th upon sin.A i psismg an insuau for use muy" man? of a is i, i aciuc the lo'cks being 5,1ziignt and i cach row of bio/ks com? 1 L Legame): so *man et my hund.

.irs b'us bnr, aid bus bars mul 0,1" blocks being spaced urpmi tz; n them a' channel for the had f colmectmz't said wir@ fri tackling terminals s'f'said sockcts.

A pfmei board huvingg in combination, an insulating board, pair 'of power bus o opposite' polarity mounted hm-ef* and two LQWSVQ' structurally separate ping sockets nio/muted imc-dy upon said. DHS and :ibm-'Ling close together so as to complete m'er the bars and t0 constitute the sides f a channel, the two sockets 10- Qated (imiiy oppcsite each other on the *am b21-rs constituting'a pair and each pair of sockets having means for connection to the wires of the same 10nd circuit.

In testimony whereof, 1 have hereunto GUSTAVE W; BERTHOLD 

